Ready selves to deal with climate change, other challenges, Fadillah tells palm oil players
11/03/2023 (The Borneo Post Onlinw), Kuching - Palm oil industry players must be ready to deal with whatever situation that may crop up including climate change, said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof.
Fadillah, who is also Minister of Plantation Industries and Commodities, said there are risks in the field of agriculture and plantations, and these include weather factors, plant diseases and also human resources.
“Depending on the situation, the parties involved must be ready, including taking steps in terms of good agricultural practices,” he told reporters after officiating the Petra Jaya Community Bomba Carnival 2023 at the Petra Jaya Fire and Rescue Station here today.
He was responding to a question on whether climate change would affect the production target of approximately 18 million metric tonnes of palm oil this year.
On the flood situation in Johor, Fadillah said his ministry has identified smallholders who are severely affected by the current floods there.
He said that he had received reports regarding the disaster, which also affected some of the smallholders involved.
According to him, appropriate assistance will be given to the farmers involved to ease their burden when the flood situation improves, so that they can operate their farms well.
“Agencies under my ministry together with corporations will implement corporate social responsibility programmes to help the smallholders involved.
“Among them, to replace lost equipment and to identify whatever other assistance that is needed to enable them to resume farming activities after this flood,” he said.
Also present at the carnival was Fire and Rescue Department Sarawak director Datuk Khirudin Drahman.